Instead, she chose to report to the Senate ethics officer, who offered her a cloak of confidentiality. (The ethics officer, believing a crime may have occurred, notified the police who asked the Senate to suspend its investigation. After four months, Ottawa police stopped the investigation without laying charges.)

Her story, however, is part of the problem and future of Parliament Hill.

For all we hear about “men in power,” the halls of government in Ottawa are female-dominated. Female staffers and volunteers are the backbone and engine of the legislative branch. Many are young, ambitious, and for those reasons, vulnerable.

Were that not enough, the systems of accountability can be unclear. To whom does a young staffer report their MP? Or their chief of staff? Or a fellow staffer?

The viable options can differ from party to party, which makes it even harder for young staffers. In a three-part series, the Hill Times reported on this dynamic: “Even if someone does report, they may be reporting the harassment to either their own MP or one of their MP’s colleagues, through the whip’s office, though the House chief human resources officer is also a reporting avenue.”

In 2014, the House of Commons launched a harassment policy. And while this led to more complaints being filed, there are also many that exist outside of the House’s jurisdiction, yet entirely within their culture.